


back in your arms

by hyucksdream



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Childhood Friends, Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan-centric, M/M, NCT Dream Ensemble Are Best Friends, NCT Dream Ensemble-centric, Slice of Life, donghyuck is lonely, dreamies love haechan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24564475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyucksdream/pseuds/hyucksdream
Summary: “Holy shit,” Donghyuck breathed, eyes darting all over the figure standing in front of him.Donghyuck’s eyes were likely as wide as saucers, his breathing labored, his grip on the door tightening. Because standing in front of him, drenched by the fierce rain, holding a cake in his hands and a timid grin on his face, was Mark Lee.(or, the one where all of dream move away from their childhood town, leaving donghyuck there by himself. he's lonely and misses his best friends on his birthday, so they decide to surprise him.)
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & NCT Dream Ensemble, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 19
Kudos: 228





	back in your arms

Donghyuck knew he’d be spending his birthday alone this year. He knew that it was impossible for his best friends to travel over from various parts of the country just for his birthday, but it was something he was still coming to terms with. 

This was his first birthday since age 5 that he was spending with none of his closest friends. Okay, Donghyuck took that back, he still had Jisung, but he hardly counted. He and Jisung barely talked to each other anymore, anyway, and though Jisung was the closest to him, he was still two hours away. 

The thought of Jisung threw Donghyuck into another fit of despair, missing the group hangouts when the seven of them were all together. Donghyuck always made sure not to take his friends for granted, especially not when they all started to leave him one by one. Still, he missed them. 

See, Donghyuck knew that he’d eventually be alone. The city he lived in was one that was fluid, always changing, always growing and shrinking. It was a migrant town, in a sense. People never stayed long. Residents got odd jobs here and there, stayed for a couple of months, or a couple years at best, then moved on to a more . . . stationary town. 

Except Donghyuck was never leaving. His parents owned a chain of hotels, most of which operated in this very town, and they had built a life for themselves. Donghyuck had, too, until his life had gotten up and walked away from him. 

Donghyuck was lucky that he had made so many friends, and kept them for so long. It was nearly a miracle that he had had an unchanging friend group for so long when everyone around them was moving around and always lonely. It encouraged the seven of them to cherish each other more, to hold onto the moments when they were all smiling and happy, and to remember the warmth of each other. 

Donghyuck tossed around in his bed, pointedly turned away from the alarm clock on his bedside table. He knew that if he turned and caught a glimpse of the bright red numbers, it would be past midnight, and it would officially be Donghyuck’s 18th birthday. 

And Donghyuck wasn’t ready to face it. His first birthday without his friends, the people he grew up with. There was an incessant nagging in his head, telling him that he was bound to end up alone in this hellsite of a town where everything was always moving, and nothing was permanent. 

Donghyuck resisted the urge to reach out and check his phone. He was sure that someone—probably Mark—had texted the group chat with the seven of them, wishing Donghyuck a happy birthday, reminding everyone that, yes, Donghyuck was still alive, and still lived in this town. The group chat was hardly ever active now, only ever used for birthday wishes and occasional check-ins. 

Donghyuck kicked the blankets off as a wave of heat pooled over him, sweat instantly building up on his forehead. The window was already open, though the breeze was too warm to bring comfort, and Donghyuck was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. In all honesty, Donghyuck was miserable. 

He wallowed in his feelings, self-pity and desperate nostalgia giving way to anger and frustration. He hated his parents for choosing a ghost town to live in. He hated his friends for not deeming him important enough to keep in contact with. He hated himself for not moving on, not looking for new friends. But most of all, he hated this town for existing. He hated that he had met his lifelong friends, his soulmates, and that they had been ripped away from him because of the ridiculous town’s setup. He hated that this town was somewhere to temporarily call home, not somewhere to build a life. 

Donghyuck hated it all, but despite his hatred, he couldn’t help but let a few tears slip when he thought of his life, completely stationary, completely ordinary, and very lonely. 

When Donghyuck awoke, it wasn’t to the sound of the birds. It was to the sound of a train passing by, earth-shatteringly loud. Donghyuck jolted up, heart racing before he realized what was going on. When he did, he contemplated going back to bed. The June heat was already seeping into the walls of his family’s apartment, sticky and musty, making it difficult for anyone to get any rest. The heat paired with the train irritated Donghyuck enough that he sat up, rubbing his eyes as he looked around. 

He hated living next to train tracks for this very reason, and to make matters worse, the city was in the heartland of freight train routes, so trains passing by was a very frequent occurrence. 

It took a few more seconds until Donghyuck realized exactly what day it was. He sighed, preparing himself for a quiet day in by himself. Maybe he’d go out for lunch by himself if he was feeling like it. 

It was his first birthday out of school, and his parents were both at work all day. They had promised to bring him food on their way home, which Donghyuck appreciated, but it didn’t detract from the fact that Donghyuck was painfully alone on his birthday this year.    
He contemplated calling some of his casual friends from school. Maybe he and Seungmin could get lunch together. Or maybe he could invite Eric to go shopping with him. He sighed and fell back against his bed, turning to look out the window. It didn’t feel right to go out with people he wasn’t close with. He really just wanted to be back with his best friends. 

He thought back to his birthday a couple of years ago, a smile lifting his lips. It was their last birthday celebration as seven. His birthday had fallen on the day right after school had gotten out, so their first day of summer. They had gotten dinner the night before and spent the night at Donghyuck’s house, counting down the seconds until the clock hit midnight. Donghyuck, Renjun, and Chenle had wanted to sleep in late, but Mark and Jaemin were insistent that they all got an early start to the day. 

They had gone out for breakfast, then spent the day at the nearest amusement park upon Donghyuck’s request. They spent the evening roaming downtown, trying out street food and wasting time by going into stores selling designer products that none of them could afford. At the end of the night, they had surprised Donghyuck with a pair of Balenciaga shoes, ones that were almost as expensive as the ones that Donghyuck had been looking at earlier in the day. It was one of his dearest memories, something he thought back on when he was feeling at his lowest. There was little he wouldn’t do to go back to that time. 

Now Donghyuck was not someone who was overly dependent on others, but he loved his best friends. They had turned this town into his home, and everywhere he went had memories associated with his best friends. 

Donghyuck picked up his phone, suddenly aware that it hadn’t vibrated even once since he’d woken up. He was greeted with an empty notification center, not even a single text from any of his friends. He straightened, unlocking his phone, and heading straight to their group chat. 

Nothing. 

The last text was a couple of weeks ago—Jaemin checking in to see when everyone’s last day of school was.

Donghyuck locked his phone and got out of bed, trudging to the bathroom. As if on cue, there was a loud clap of thunder, causing Donghyuck to wince. 

The light downpour of rain did nothing to improve Donghyuck’s mood. It was still early in the morning, hardly past 7, but one look outside told Donghyuck all he needed to know: it was going to rain all day long. 

On the fridge, there was a note from his mom, reminding him that she and Donghyuck’s father would be home late but would bring dinner. 

Donghyuck stifled the disappointed sigh he wanted to let out. He knew his parents were busy, busy people, but it didn’t do anything to ease the pain of having to spend what was supposed to be a special day by himself. That wasn’t even including the mild crisis he sent himself into every time he acknowledged the fact that he was an official adult now. That just brought too much anxiety with it, so Donghyuck saved the thought for later. 

He got started on making coffee, pouring extra water into the french press, just because. He was starting out adulthood in a horribly miserable way, so too much caffeine couldn’t possibly make anything worse. Donghyuck knocked on wood, just to be sure. 

He had just sat down with his breakfast of cereal and coffee—practically gourmet, in his opinion—when the doorbell rang. 

Donghyuck furrowed his eyebrows. He didn’t know who it could be. Maybe it was Eric and Seungmin, taking pity on him. It wasn’t a secret that all of Donghyuck’s best friends had upped and moved away from him. 

Donghyuck shuffled over to the door, not bothering to check the peephole first. As the door swung open, he was greeted by the sight of Jaemin and Jeno, the two of them bickering quietly. They were sopping wet, Jaemin’s pink hair dripping all over their bags, Jeno’s smile bright as he looked up and met Donghyuck’s eyes. 

Donghyuck thought he either must be dreaming, or going crazy. Both were equally viable in this day and age. He coughed, then proceeded to choke, crouching down as he tried to catch his breath. 

“Hyuck? Are you alright? What the hell,” Jaemin bent down, a hand coming up to rub up and down Donghyuck’s back comfortingly. 

Donghyuck caught his breath, breathing out forcefully as he looked from Jaemin to Jeno, eyes wide with disbelief. 

“Happy birthday?” Jeno offered, tiny jazz hands accompanying his words.

Jaemin’s touch on his back was so familiar, and all of a sudden, Donghyuck craved more. He wanted to be comforted by his friends, he wanted their company.

He practically threw himself in Jeno’s arms, pulling Jaemin into the hug after a second. He couldn’t care less about getting wet, more intent on squeezing every bit of affection out of his friends. 

They stood like that, swaying gently in the corridor, dripping all over the carpet for a couple minutes, Donghyuck feeling the most peace he’d felt since Jisung packed his bags and left. 

Donghyuck pulled back, his eyes searching Jaemin’s and Jeno’s, “How are you guys here?”

Jeno grinned, his hand finding Donghyuck’s, “It’s your birthday. We didn’t want you to be all alone.”

“And you would’ve been all alone if we weren’t here for sure,” Jaemin commented, eyes looking up and down Donghyuck’s figure. Donghyuck suddenly remembered that he was only wearing a sweatshirt and boxers. He couldn’t find it in him to blush but grinned foolishly instead.

“Let us in, I wanna change. It’s raining so fucking hard,” Jaemin groaned, pushing past Donghyuck into the apartment. Jeno lifted their bags and followed suit, one hand ruffling Donghyuck’s hair as he passed by. 

Donghyuck stayed still, leaning against the doorframe as he watched Jaemin and Jeno argue over who was going to get the bathroom first. Donghyuck felt nostalgia pull at his heart, reminding him that only three years ago, Jaemin and Jeno arguing with each other was a daily occurrence that Donghyuck witnessed. 

Jaemin had moved before Jeno, though both of them left the same year. They moved to the same state, just twenty minutes away from each other. It seemed like everything they did seemed to revolve around each other, directly and indirectly. They had moved the farthest too, all the way to the opposite coast of the country. They had either flown out or driven the 20 hour drive. Donghyuck wasn’t sure which he preferred.

Donghyuck smiled as he eyed his french press; he knew he had made extra for good reason. 

“Tell me what you were planning to do if we hadn’t shown up,” Jaemin asked as he bit into his donut, washing it down with coffee. 

“I was planning on going out with Eric and Seungmin,” Donghyuck bluffed, staring into his coffee. Just because he knew he was pathetic didn’t mean everyone around him had to know the same thing too. 

Jaemin rolled his eyes, “Were they aware of your plans?”

“I was just about to call them,” Donghyuck protested, leaning back into Jeno’s side. “How did you guys get here? Did you drive?”

Jeno shook his head, his eyes sparkling, “We flew. I wasn’t going to spend 20 hours in a car with Jaem.”

Jaemin shuddered, “I hate road trips.”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, swinging his other arm around Jaemin’s shoulder till he was snugly tucked between his best friends. “Thank you for coming.”

“We love you, Donghyuck,” Jeno whispered, gently bumping their heads together. 

Donghyuck was almost glad that Renjun wasn’t here. He’d never stop making fun of Donghyuck for all the affection he was craving.

By noon, the rain had slowed enough that the three of them could go out for lunch without getting drenched to the bone. Donghyuck had stopped thinking about his empty notification center long ago, instead spending his time catching up with Jaemin and Jeno. 

They chose their favorite noodle and pasta shop for lunch, Donghyuck’s stomach growling at the mere thought of his favorite lemon saute pasta. 

“Nothing’s changed at all,” Jeno whistled as they found themselves a booth near the window, Jaemin and Donghyuck on one side, Jeno on the other. 

“Nothing except for the people,” Donghyuck muttered. 

Jaemin pinched him, sending him a worried look. Donghyuck just shook his head, hoping they would drop it. Donghyuck didn’t need to expose all his self-pity and loneliness over lunch. 

Instead Donghyuck inquired about everything: Jaemin and Jeno’s respective schools, friends, gossip, everything. 

Somewhere along the way, Donghyuck stopped talking and just listened to Jaemin and Jeno’s stories, listening to them talk about their friends and coworkers and college decisions. Jeno couldn’t stop laughing as he talked about some of his teammates on the soccer team. Jaemin’s voice grew louder and louder as he complained about his internship. Donghyuck took it all in gladly, like a dog thirsty for water after running around in the heat. 

It was strange, he mused, that a city that was so familiar to him could be so unfamiliar to Jeno and Jaemin, despite having lived here for years before. It was more strange that Donghyuck usually felt out of place here, stationary in a city that was prided for its fluidity. But now, with his best friends here, he felt like he was back at home again. 

The walk home was uneventful, but comfortable. Donghyuck updated Jaemin about his favorite streetwear clothing shops, telling him which brands he thought were going out of style, and told Jeno how the cats at the shelter Donghyuck volunteered at were doing.

When they turned back onto Donghyuck’s street, finally getting some well-deserved silence from the loud traffic, Jaemin and Jeno seemed to simultaneously realize something. They grabbed Donghyuck’s wrists and pulled him along with them, speeding up a bit. 

“What’s going on?” Donghyuck inquired. He didn’t want to sound excited, but he was curious to see what they had planned. 

“Nothing. Just, we should get in before it starts raining again,” Jeno said, his eyes darting around Donghyuck’s face, looking nearly everywhere except Donghyuck’s eyes. 

“The sun is out and there are no clouds, Jen,” Donghyuck laughed, Jeno had always been a terrible liar, even when they were young kids fighting over who ate the last cookie. 

Jaemin seemed to be glued to his phone, though when Donghyuck leaned over to catch a glimpse, he was met with a black screen. Donghyuck pouted, but stayed silent. 

They climbed up the stairs and turned into the hallway. 

“Holy shit!” Donghyuck stopped walking, eyes widening as he focused on the three figures sitting against the wall in front of Donghyuck’s door. 

“You’re finally here,” Renjun yawned, “Took you guys long enough. We’ve been sitting here for like an hour already. Poor Jisung needs to pee really bad.”

Renjun sounded like he was underwater to Donghyuck’s ears. He was so disoriented, his mind whirring at twice the regular speed. 

He registered Chenle chewing Jaemin out for not texting him back and informing him of their plans, but he couldn’t focus. His friends were really here. Here, in this shitty city that stopped for no one and rarely had any visitors.

“You guys are really here,” he voiced his thoughts, feeling somewhat faint and hyperactive at the same time.    
Renjun and Jaemin shared worried looks before guiding Donghyuck into the apartment. “Yeah, we are.”

That’s all Donghyuck could take before he lost consciousness, all but crumpling in Renjun’s arms. God, Renjun would never let Donghyuck hear the end of that one. 

When Donghyuck came to, he was on the couch, Jisung holding one of his hands, Jeno pushing Donghyuck’s hair away from his eyes. 

“How are you here? I swear I’m dreaming,” Donghyuck muttered, pulling himself up. 

“Renjun drove us all here. We left yesterday morning,” Jisung smiled proudly. “Happy birthday, Donghyuck.”

If Donghyuck teared up at the expressions on his friends’ faces, he wasn’t telling anyone. He smiled instead, playing with the frayed ends of his sweatshirt sleeves. 

“Did you really think we were going to let you spend your birthday all by yourself, Hyuck?” Chenle asked, bringing a cup of tea to Donghyuck. 

Donghyuck missed this—Chenle treating Donghyuck’s house like his own, Renjun insistently teasing him, Jisung being their constant positive force—he missed it so much. 

“You wanna play some video games? That’s your gift, by the way, we bought you a bunch of games,” Jisung said, tossing a sloppily wrapped box in Donghyuck’s lap. 

“I’ll kick your asses at whatever it is,” Donghyuck grinned as Chenle turned on the gaming console.

“Even at Mario Kart?” Chenle asked with a wink, grabbing the TV remote. 

“Especially at Mario Kart,” Donghyuck laughed, patting the spaces next to him for Chenle and Jisung to join. 

Donghyuck, Chenle, Jisung, and Jeno played video games while Renjun and Jaemin just talked to each other, obviously catching up on everything they had missed out on in the years they hadn’t been together. If Donghyuck noticed that there was still one more person missing from their group, he didn’t call any attention to it. 

Mark had moved first, he was constantly busy, and they weren’t as close anymore. Despite whatever they had going on between them, Donghyuck didn’t know if he should classify it as a long distance relationship or fling, but either way, Donghyuck couldn’t possibly expect him to come celebrate his birthday. It was enough that five of his best friends had trekked all the way here for him, and he was content with that. 

One by one, each boy snuggled up on the couch, opting out of the upcoming round and promptly falling asleep. Jeno was first, setting his controller on the coffee table and settling in next to Donghyuck, resting his chin on Donghyuck’s shoulder. It only took a couple of seconds before he dozed off, small snores escaping from his lips every few moments. 

Jaemin was next, which was understandable since he and Jeno had the longest journey here. He curled up next to Renjun and fell asleep while Renjun was in the middle of narrating how he nearly got bitten by a dog while volunteering. 

Jisung and Renjun passed out not long after that, both of them mumbling quietly about how they were exhausted. It left Donghyuck and Chenle still awake, silent as the soft snores of their friends filled the room. 

“How’ve you been, Donghyuck? For real,” Chenle asked, a knowing look on his face. 

It had always been impossible to lie to Chenle. Chenle’s persona always exuded trustworthiness and genuinity, two things that made it impossible to keep secrets from him. 

“I hate it. I hate being alone,” Donghyuck said, wrapping an arm around Chenle’s waist. 

It had started raining a while ago, making the atmosphere even more serene and perfect for Donghyuck and Chenle to have a serious discussion. 

“You’re not alone, Hyuck. We’re always here for you,” Chenle’s voice was sincere, his eyes conveying all the emotion Donghyuck needed to see. 

He swallowed the lump that was thickening in his throat, nodding forcefully. Chenle’s comfort was much needed to Donghyuck if his misty eyes were anything to go off of. 

“We love you, Donghyuck. We’re always going to be behind you, supporting you. Even if you feel alone, just give us a call. Don’t wallow by yourself,” Chenle said softly, his eyes trained on the controller in his hand. He sounded like he was speaking from experience, and when he turned to look over at Jisung, it confirmed Donghyuck’s suspicion. 

“You guys have had some problems, huh?” Donghyuck asked, his voice getting quieter as he started to feel more drowsy. He really shouldn’t have eaten so much at lunch. 

“Nothing we can’t push through,” Chenle assured, his words lilting as he closed his eyes. 

“Thank you, Chenle. For doing all this for me,” Donghyuck whispered.

“We’re your best friends. We’re here for you.”   
Donghyuck surveyed the room, his five friends all sleeping quietly, limbs tangled and hair mussed. Donghyuck was so warm, despite the cool air that came with the pouring rain outside. He was warming up from the inside out, his soul soaking in warmth as he took in the presence of his best friends. The people who meant the most to him, the souls that brought him the most comfort, they were all here. It was all he could ask for. 

Donghyuck fell asleep easier than he had in weeks, squeezed in between Chenle and Jeno.

The rain started to pick up around 6, gusty winds causing all the nearby trees to shake and scratch against the windows, resulting in eerie noises echoing in the apartment. It was thundering pretty bad as well, lightning lighting up the sky every couple minutes as well. 

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen, doing various tasks to complete the feast they had planned for Donghyuck’s birthday. It turned out that Renjun had gotten groceries on the way to Donghyuck’s house, so they were all set to make a good birthday dinner for Donghyuck since they couldn’t possibly go out in this weather. Donghyuck had asked about his parents, but Renjun told him that they had asked his parents to go out for dinner and a movie so that they could spend time with Donghyuck. 

“Can you pass me that bowl?” Donghyuck asked Renjun, who nodded and passed over the appropriate bowl.

Donghyuck dumped in the garlic that he had just chopped, looking around the kitchen. Everyone was busy in their own work; Renjun and Jeno working on fried seaweed rolls, Jisung and Chenle making the noodles, while Jaemin worked on cooking their meat. Donghyuck was in charge of chopping all the vegetables for the noodles. 

Donghyuck winced as a burning smell reached his nose. Jaemin had stepped out a couple minutes ago to answer a phone call, and he still wasn’t back. Donghyuck walked over to the stove where the pork was cooking, quickly turning the heat down and flipping the morsels over. 

Jeno had turned music on in the background and everyone was having quiet conversations with whoever was near them, and Donghyuck felt so comfortable. 

He had yearned for this; he had wanted them all together again for so long, and now that it was happening, it seemed surreal. There was little he wouldn’t do to just pause time right here, to just watch his friends laugh with each other in his kitchen. 

Jaemin chose that moment to walk back in, his features pinching up as he caught scent of the burning meat. 

“Jesus, I left for a minute!” Jaemin nudged Donghyuck out of the way, turning on the overhead fan.

“Jaem, don’t burn the meat, I’m so hungry,” Jisung pouted.

“Little late for that, don’t you think, Sung?” Renjun snickered as Jaemin tried to save the pork.

“My seaweed rolls are delicious, don’t worry. You won’t go hungry,” Jeno smiled, and indeed, there was a good smell coming from where Jeno was frying the rolls. 

“Donghyuck, why don’t you sit down for a bit? We don’t want you to be tired soon. We don’t have much time to spend with you and we wanna make the most of it,” Renjun suggested, though Donghyuck shot him a weird look.    
“We literally just napped for 3 hours. I think I’ll be okay for tonight,” Donghyuck said, looking from Renjun to Jaemin, a hint of suspicion rising in Donghyuck’s mind. There was usually no universe where Renjun would be caught being this generous to Donghyuck.

“Come on Donghyuck, we’re not needed here,” Jisung tugged at Donghyuck’s sleeve, dragging him over to the living room. 

“What’s going on?” Donghyuck demanded, pulling his arm out of Jisung’s grip, noticing the way that Jisung avoided eye contact with him. 

Donghyuck narrowed his eyes, making his way back to the kitchen. He wanted to know what was going on, what his friends were up to. 

He entered the kitchen just in time to hear a quiet knock at the door. He pushed past Jaemin to get it, ignoring their protests. 

“Donghyuck, wait. You go sit down, I’ll get the door. You’re the birthday boy anyway, you should be-” Jeno started, but Donghyuck swung the door open, effectively cutting Jeno off.

“Holy shit,” Donghyuck breathed, eyes darting all over the figure standing in front of him. 

Donghyuck’s eyes were likely as wide as saucers, his breathing labored, his grip on the door tightening. Because standing in front of him, drenched by the fierce rain, holding a cake in his hands and a timid grin on his face, was Mark Lee. 

“Holy fuck,” Donghyuck said, though it sounded more like a whimper. 

It had been so long. So long since he’d seen his best friend, his first love, his current love. It had been two years. Two years of facetime calls and text messages and distance. 

“Happy birthday, Donghyuck,” Mark beamed, his eyes soft and affectionate as they searched Donghyuck’s own. 

All Donghyuck could think was that Mark’s voice was far deeper than the last time Donghyuck had heard it in person, and phone calls did it no justice. And had he gotten taller as well? Donghyuck used to be a bit taller than Mark, but Mark seemed to have a centimeter or two on him now. 

Donghyuck leaped for Mark, eliciting a surprised yelp from Mark. Mark lifted the arm with the cake away from his body, so it wouldn’t get crushed between their bodies, his other arm coming up to support Donghyuck. 

Mark was cold, his body chilled to the touch and wet to the bone. Donghyuck didn’t give a damn.  _ This _ . This is what he had been craving, what his lonely body had been yearning for. Mark’s embrace was still comforting, despite the way Donghyuck’s clothes were rapidly getting wet. He paid it no mind, pressing a soft kiss to Mark’s cheek before pulling back, a bashful smile on his face. 

Mark looked taken aback, but joyful nonetheless. His hair was plastered to his forehead, his dark sweatshirt and shorts sticking to his body. He looked good, so good, and Donghyuck couldn’t get enough. He looked him up and down, taking in every new detail of Mark that he could find, things that he wouldn’t notice on facetime. 

From behind him, Donghyuck heard several gagging noises, then footsteps, everyone coming up to surround Mark. 

“You couldn’t even let us surprise you, Donghyuck? You spoiled your own surprise,” Renjun said, and Donghyuck could practically see the way he was rolling his eyes. 

“It was worth it,” Donghyuck mumbled, feeling his cheeks burn. Then to Mark, cheekily, “How come you’re so late?”

Mark’s face split into a grin, wide and radiant, “The weather was bad, Hyuck. Never again, though.”

“Come in. You should shower,” Donghyuck stepped aside, not before snatching the cake out of Mark’s hands, “I’ll keep this, though.”   
Mark rolled his eyes but the fond look in them gave him away. God, Donghyuck was so whipped. 

That’s how it went. Just like that, the city that Donghyuck had furiously hated just last night was full of joy and good memories again. The loneliness, the deep sadness, it had all been wiped away with his friends’ presence. Donghyuck hoped it would stay like that forever, forever holding precious memories for him. 

“They’re so whipped for each other,” Jisung whispered to Chenle.

Donghyuck didn’t even bother flipping him off. He took the cake to the dining table instead, admiring the cute decorations Mark had gotten done on it. 

“He’s so happy now. He wasn’t this happy when we showed up,” Jeno muttered to Jaemin. 

Donghyuck turned, throwing his arms around Jeno, “I love you guys. Thank you for doing all this.”   
Jeno smiled, squeezing Donghyuck tightly once before releasing him, “I know. We love you too.”

“Come on, let’s finish cooking,” Jaemin ushered them back into the kitchen, leaving an ecstatic Donghyuck behind in the kitchen. 

  
Dinner was chaotic, but in all the right ways. Donghyuck had gotten impatient and started eating the cake before Mark even got out of the shower, eliciting protests from Jisung, who had been searching for candles. When Mark got out of the shower, they decided to sing Donghyuck happy birthday before Donghyuck ended up devouring the cake. Donghyuck couldn’t make any excuses for himself, it was cookie cake, his favorite, and it was his birthday, so if he wanted to eat his cake, he would. 

When they all got settled around the dinner table, pulling an extra chair from the kitchen island to seat Mark, Jaemin proceeded to knock the platter of seaweed rolls right off the table, sending the entire table into chaos again. 

Donghyuck couldn’t stop laughing, at Jaemin’s face when he dropped their food, at Chenle’s pained face when he tried Jaemin’s burnt pork, at Renjun’s exasperated expression as he conversed with Mark, barely able to hear over Jisung and Jeno’s loud conversation. 

The whole time, his hand was nestled in Mark’s, both of them holding on tightly as they ate, paying each other no special attention, but the small gesture was just as significant. Jaemin had shoved a birthday hat onto Donghyuck’s head, and it was painfully digging into Donghyuck’s cheeks, though he left it on when he saw Jaemin beaming at him. 

He was happy. He felt lighter than he had in years, despite the raging thunderstorm outside, despite all the mishaps inside, he was elated. He hadn’t been genuinely happy in ages, it was almost a foreign feeling to him now. 

After everyone had eaten, nothing but empty dishes littering the table, Mark stood first, heading over to the window. 

“It’s stopped raining,” he said, a smile playing at his lips.    
“Great?” Donghyuck was unsure as to why it made a difference to Mark. 

“C’mon. Let’s go up to the roof,” Mark’s grin was out on full display, and he looked dorky, being so excited to go up to the roof. 

Donghyuck couldn’t help but melt at it anyway. Mark was adorable no matter how dorky he was. He stood, joining Mark over at the window. The window was cracked open a sliver, so he could feel the winds against his skin, cooling down the whole apartment. 

“The clouds are clearing out,” Renjun announced from his position near the kitchen window. 

“And it’s not raining at all,” Chenle supplied from next to him. 

“I’ve got dessert,” Jeno said.

Donghyuck turned to look at him, finding him holding two bottles of wine and Jaemin holding ice cream and a bag of candy.

“Okay, let’s go,” Donghyuck grinned. He reached out, looking for Mark’s hand, intertwining them together before pulling him along. 

The hallway leading up to the rooftop was dimly lit, so they took their time climbing up the stairs. When they pushed the door open, they were met with a welcoming gust of wind, just cold enough to be refreshing. 

“The weather’s great out here,” Jisung hummed as he grabbed the bag of candy out of Jaemin’s hand, jogging over to the only dry area on the roof. 

Donghyuck and Mark made their way over to the ledge, looking out at the busy city, cars coming and going from every which way and laughter and chatter floating up from the restaurants down the street. It was never quiet down there, people were always up to something. 

Up here, though, it was a different story. Donghyuck reveled in Mark’s warmth, the quietness aiding to Donghyuck’s comfort. Behind them, he could hear Jisung laughing at something Renjun said, the rustling of the candy adding to the noise. 

Above them, stars were scattered all through the sky, gleaming with different intensities and sizes, but shining brightly all the same. 

“Thank you for celebrating with me,” Donghyuck spoke quietly, gaze focused on one of the stars.

Donghyuck felt himself being pulled closer to Mark, “Thank you for being in my life. Happy birthday, Donghyuck.”

Donghyuck smiled when Mark kissed his forehead. Donghyuck’s idea of paradise was this. This, here, sitting with his friends, basking in their presence. This was everything he wanted. 

He pulled Mark back to everyone else, where they had found a tarp and laid it on the ground, making a dry surface for them to sit on. 

It took a couple of minutes for everyone to get settled, as usual. There was lots of shuffling and shifting to get everyone comfortable and happy, but it was worth it. 

“How long are you guys going to be staying?” Donghyuck’s voice was quieter than he would’ve liked, but he knew his friends knew how he felt. 

“A week. We’re gonna make the most out of it. It’s gonna be the best week you’ve ever had,” Jeno said. 

“This is already the best day I’ve ever had,” Donghyuck sighed. It was true, his heart was full of love and affection for his best friends. 

“You know, when I get lonely back home, I always imagine that all of us are watching the stars together. No matter where we are, we’re all connected through this sky. Sometimes I imagine that each of us is a star, and we come together to make a constellation. That way, we’re always connected,” Mark mused, playing with Donghyuck’s sweatshirt sleeve as he talked. 

“I like that. We’re all our own stars that come together as one, no matter where we are,” Jaemin whispered. 

Donghyuck liked that too. 

They were quiet for a bit after that. Donghyuck took everything in. He wanted to imprint this day on himself so he could forever stay content like this. He wished he could gather up all his feelings from today and stuff them in a bottle, to be opened when he was feeling lonely. He wanted to memorize the exact shape of the star formations Mark was pointing out, the weight of Mark’s head on his chest, the way Jeno’s hair was tickling his neck, the taste of sour candy and wine on his tongue. He wanted to remember everything about this moment so that he’d have a calming memory when he was inevitably left alone in this fast-moving town by himself. 

Everything about this city was changing, and day by day, it became more and more unfamiliar, but to Donghyuck, the memories of his friends would always be the nearest to his heart. It would be what he cherished forever, tying all seven on them to this town.

They were, in this moment, all just seven parts of one whole. Seven stars, coming together to make a glimmering constellation. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> i wanted to write something for donghyuck's birthday, so here it is! i hope you enjoyed it, thank you for reading. leave a comment if you'd like! <3
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/HAECHZENS)
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/honeyshyuck)


End file.
